Eighteen Years Later
by Brandy Camel
Summary: This is the story of Areisan, daughter of Aragorn and Arwen. A little funny, a little action and fighting, and intended romance. Warning: Much research done for this!
1. Prologue and Other Important Things

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Eighteen Years Later...

By Brandy Camel

Prologue and Other Important Things

I'm adding this section for people who want to nit-pick my story. Because there are bound to be some. I just want to let you all know how much I put into this story. It's taken a lot of time, effort, and thought on my part, and I really do hope you enjoy it because of that. Though this is not really a "prologue" in the full sense, it's previous history that is pertinent to my story. This IS optional, but if you have a tiff with something in my story, read this first before you e-mail me. Thank you!

DISCLAIMER: First the basics. I do not own Lord of the Rings, or any of the absolutely wonderful ideas and stories that were spawned by the imagination of J. R. R. Tolkien. The only character I own is Areisan, who is the product of my own imagination and I managed to find a loophole to put her in there. If you don't want to read about my research, SKIP NOW to the fic or forever hold your peace. Everything I have come up with I've done extensive research for, being I'm such a stickler for details. This is NOT your average "I love Legolas, let's write a self-insertion!" I've really worked hard to try to make this work, and if there ARE any mistakes you see and wish to challenge my validity, feel free to e-mail me! (BrandyCamel@aol.com) If I don't have a plausible argument, well, then you are a far more informed fan than I am. Please keep in mind that I am STILL researching while I write this fan-fiction. It won't be perfect, but it'll be as close to it as I can possibly make it. I don't want to be an example for OFUM. (If you don't know what I mean, you need to read this fic. Search for The Official Fanfiction University of Middle-Earth. You'll thank me later.) As cool as it would be to attend, I don't think I could survive the pain. All the following information is also not mine (unless concerning Areisan) and was taken from the appendix of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (the uber-edition that came out last year when the first movie was released). Anyway, thanks for reading this far-too-long disclaimer.

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Author's Notes: Yaaaay, now you get to read THESE! Here's my technical notes thus far:

Year 241, S.R. N/A

Birth of Arwen Undomiel

Year 2931, S.R. 1331

March 1- Birth of Aragorn, son of Arathorn

Year 3019, S.R. 1419

March 25- Ring is destroyed

Year 3019, S.R. 1419 

Mid-year's Day (June 22 or so)- Wedding of Elessar and Arwen

Year 3019, S.R. 1419

September 13- Departure of Galadriel and Celeborn

Year 3021, S. R. 1421

September 29- Frodo and Bilbo depart Middle-Earth over the sea

October 6- Samwise returns to Bag End

Year 3027, S.R. 1427

Elessar issues an edict that Men are not to enter the Shire, and it is now a Free Land.

Year 3026, S.R. 1426

Elessar rides north to Lake Evendim, appoints Samwise's daughter, Elanor, to be a maid of honour to Arwen.

Year 3141, S.R. 1541

Passing of King Elessar. Legolas and Gimli sail over the sea to follow the elves. In the winter, Arwen passes of grief in Lorien.

Ages- Aragorn was 210 when he died, 88* when he married Arwen. He was 88* when Areisan was born. Though Areisan was first born, she is NOT the heir to the throne. Later, Areisan's brother, Eldarion, is born and is proclaimed heir.

All these notes are relevant to my plot-line. By my reckoning, Areisan was born on March 19, Year 3022, S.R. 1422. This fan-fiction takes place beginning on March 19, 3040. Now I'm finally ready to start. Sorry for all that, but it'll prevent less fluff and fire in my mailbox. On with the fic! Enjoy, and please review if you can find the time.

*Edit. I originally had down 122 and 123, respectively. Don't ask me HOW I got the math wrong. I really have no idea. It's also strange that I'm more tired NOW than I was when I first wrote this. O.o; Oh well, at least I noticed it.


	2. Chapter One: Departure

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Eighteen Years Later...

By Brandy Camel

Chapter One: Departure

Disclaimer: See Prologue. I really don't want to put it in here to take up space. Read and Review, and, as always, enjoy.

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Areisan bustled about her dim, castle home in Minas Tirith. Digging feverishly through her trunk, she finally grinned triumphantly, raising a green, elven-fashioned tunic to her chest. Quickly, she outfitted herself, grabbed a bow and fully-stocked knapsack (complete with leather quiver, of course), and slung it over her shoulder. 

The young girl was over ecstatic for more than one reason. As of today, she had reached Gondor's set age of adulthood and could be granted her passage into Middle-Earth. Today was the day she asked the king to allow her to leave Gondor and train in the wilderness. Today, she was to beg her father to let her grow up.

Areisan slid down the staircase banister in a rather un-princess-like act and skipped happily to the throne room. Before her hand touched the large, ornate doors, she paused. Suddenly, the fear of a possible refusal from King Elessar caught tight in her throat. She swallowed once, then meekly pushed open the door.

Peering in cautiously, she stepped swiftly into the room. She figured that eventually, this would have to come. Several loyal subjects were discussing some kind of business with her father, but her mother noticed her right away.

"Oh, Areisan! I see you have finally decided to wake this morning," Queen Arwen smiled that smile every mother has, and arose to meet her daughter.

"Yes, mother. I have packed, and I am ready to leave now..." Areisan started, but noticed her presence had caught the attention of the subjects and, more importantly, her father. She took a deep breath and turned to King Elessar.

"Father, you know today is my eighteenth birthday, and by Gondor's law, I may now decide my fate. With your permission and, I pray, your blessing, I wish to now follow in your footsteps as a Ranger."

Well, that did not seem as hard as she thought it would have been. Her father stayed silent for a moment, looking deep into his daughter's eyes. Finally, after what seemed like eons to Areisan, he spoke.

"Areisan, by law, you would be granted this right, but..." As he said that word (damn that infernal word!), she gulped and avoided eye contact. "since you are my little... my daughter, I have only one request of you."

Areisan looked up once more to meet her father's kind, yet piercing gaze.

"What you ask of me, I will always have obligation to do, father." Elessar smiled when he heard her say those words, knowing them to be true.

"Daughter, please do not think of me as too overprotective, but... Ever since I knew this day would come, I have worried. I have taken the liberty of hiring a guide for you."

Areisan's jaw dropped, and her presence reverted back to typical teenager for a moment.

"I have a babysitter?!?"

Elessar sighed, figuring this was inevitable. "Please do not take it that way, Areisan. Trust me, he will train you in the basics and leave when you are ready to be on your own. He will be more like a personal trainer,"

Areisan sighed, and rather than argue, she knew she was beat. She nodded in silent agreement and turned to leave.

"Areisan. Go to the courtyard. The horses have already been prepared, and your guide is waiting."

Areisan's shoulders sagged a bit, and she made her way with dragging steps to the courtyard.

*****

Areisan walked down the hallway, half dejected, and half offended.

"So is a guide just a fancy word for babysitter now?" she began talking to herself as she often did when alone. Her pace picked up the more she talked, but her thoughts and passage were promptly interrupted when she collided with a familiar figure.

"Ow! Arei! Do you ever watch where you are going?!" A female voice cried out to the tousled princess. Arie, as her friend called her when royalty was NOT around, blinked and reoriented herself. Her eyes focused on her local human friend, Delia.

"You really should not talk to royalty that way..." Arei got up and dusted herself off.

"You are my friend," she paused. "I can talk to you however I wish. Of course, you are higher in class than me and slightly taller, but you did not answer my question! Do you ever watch where you are going?!" Arei's blonde friend straightened out her hair in an indignant way. 

"Only on rare occasions. Come with me, I am on my way to the courtyard. You can see me off..."

"Just one moment, Princess!" Arei shuddered. As nice as it was to be a princess in some respects, she did not appreciate being called one. Arei was a bit of a tomboy, really.

"Do you really think I would let you go on an adventure all by yourself? It is almost against the law for you to go anywhere without me!" Delia held up a pack of her own, grinning slightly. Arei smiled, grabbed her friend's hand, and tugged her in the direction of the courtyard. Maybe this trip would be better yet...

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The two girls were laughing as they stepped into the courtyard. The topic they were laughing about wasn't particularly important. They were just being girls, after all. Just the same, Arei's laughter stopped the moment she spotted her guide.

There, tending to the horses, was quite possibly the handsomest elf she'd ever seen (not that she had seen many more outside of her mother and Elrond, before he had set out of Middle-Earth as well. Most of the Elves had left the land over the sea by now, and seeing one was a rare occurrence). His platinum blonde hair hung just below his shoulders and there was an amazing softness to his sky blue eyes.

"My, he is pretty..." Delia sighed and, out of habit, Arei smacked her in the side. Delia muttered something about stating the obvious when Arei noticed the elf had turned his attention to them.

"Uh, Arei, can I have him when you are finished?"

Arei shot a look at her friend, whom just shrugged in reply.

"Oh, I think I heard your parents talking about him. They said his name was Legoleaf Greenless, or something like that..."

"Hello, I am Legolas Greenleaf,"

"Ha! I told you,"

Arei gave her another look. This time it was that "you are such a moron," look. Delia shrugged again and grinned a stupid grin. Arei turned back to Legolas and, trying hard not to blush or anything to that effect, began to introduce herself.

"I am Arei, I mean, Areisan, Elessar's daughter," Arei introduced herself the way she was supposed to in front of all important visitors. 

Delia stepped in front before Legolas could shake Arei's hand and shook his instead. 

"Good morrow! You may call me slave, err, Delia."

Not only was Legolas slightly weirded out now, but he told himself that this was going to be a long, long trip.

"Um, yes... A pleasure. We had better start out now. It is a very long trip to Mirkwood,"

Delia stopped. "M-m-mirkwood? Where there are spiders and orcs and other assorted nasty things?" she stuttered.

Areisan looked at her friend strangely. Delia was never afraid of anything. She was the one usually dragging her into trouble. 

"Yes, Miss Delia. That is where it has been arranged for Areisan to train," Legolas answered in that polite way of his.

"You know, Arei, on second thought... I think I would much rather stay in Gondor and learn to be a bard or something..." Delia laughed nervously to herself. "Besides, there are only two horses ready, and it would take too long for a third to arrive,"

"Delia... You will not come with us?" Arei was a little sad, but a little happy. You would be too if you got to travel alone with Legolas for a few months, let alone train with him for who-knows-how-long.

"Um, no, I do not think I will after all... Good luck on your trip, Arei! I cannot wait to see you back again!" Delia hugged her friend dearly, then bolted as if Shelob herself had been standing behind them.

"I apologize for her. She is somewhat... strange..." Areisan turned back to Legolas and smiled a bit, hoping he didn't think the same of her.

"I had noticed. Have you prepared everything you need?"

"Down to the lembas,"

Legolas looked at her strangely. "Lembas in Gondor?"

"Elrond gave us consent to make it when he found out I was going to leave one day. He knew I would need it," She smiled a bit, having always been fond of her grandfather. She missed him dearly.

Legolas nodded. 

"Then let us be off,"

That was the last time in a long while that Arei saw Minas Tirith.


	3. Chapter Two: Roadside Conversation

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Eighteen Years Later...

By: Brandy Camel

Chapter Two: Roadside Conversation

Disclaimer: Short-hand version: The only people I own as of now are Delia and Areisan, who are of my personal creation. All others are property of J. R. R. Tolkien. Bless his soul. This chapter is a bit more on character building. It's very dialogue-driven. It's also just now happening in my head, so I apologize if anything seems amiss. It is very difficult to get inside a character that you don't own's head. I'm sure most of you know this. ^_^;; I'll probably revise this several times, so if you catch the first release of it, check back later. It might be better.

Areisan was a bit uneasy as the journey began. She did not quite know what to say or to do. She tried her hardest to remain neutral and to not let looks deceive her. After all, that was one of the most important lessons she learned as a princess; most people were out to take advantage of you. But this was an Elf, as well as a friend of her father's. He could not be a bad person, no matter which way she looked at it, and without really learning much about him, she already began to fall for him. Begging herself to stop thinking about it, she tried to strike up some vague form of conversation.

"How long should it take to get to Mirkwood?" she turned her head to address Legolas, since the pair were riding side-by-side.

"I estimate about two weeks. Unless we are delayed somehow, but I doubt such would happen..." he paused for a moment in thought. "I have been meaning to ask, and it may sound strange of me, but do you meditate?"

Areisan was indeed surprised a bit by the question. It definitely seemed out of the ordinary.

"I am not sure what you mean,"

"Well, most elves do not sleep at night. We usually only take about two hours of meditation to rest. I am not sure as to which way you were raised. The trip may take longer if you do not meditate, but that should not be too much of a problem,"

"Oh," Areisan was quite intrigued by this. No wonder Elrond seemed to be ever-alert. She wondered privately if her mother meditated as well. "I am sorry, but I had not ever known that fact. So I suppose you would count that as a 'no'," she smiled, a bit sheepishly.

Legolas nodded, not seeming to show much emotion. It seemed he had other thoughts on his mind, most likely about the trip and how they were to be traveling.

"That may actually work out for the best. The lembas will only last us about two weeks, and since you require normal human rest periods, it may take as much as a week longer,"

"Oh my! I am sorry to cause so much of a change in plans..."

"As I said, it is not really a problem. The extra week will give me time to teach you to hunt and survive on your own in the wild. Aside from the point, lembas tends to dull your sense of taste after a while," he smiled a bit to himself at that.

Areisan nodded. She still could not get over the fact she had caused an entire week-long delay, but Legolas' reasoning did make sense. The only thing she had ever done on her own is manage to sneak out of the castle... wait, no, she even had Delia's help for that. That was the part about being a princess that Areisan absolutely hated: She had never been on her own, and was terrified of it.

She stayed silent for a time after that, wondering what else there really was for her to say. The last conversation she started had kind of failed. You really do not tend to want to be guilty by the end of your conversation. It is usually not your priority, or your aim to begin with.

She knew she had something else she was going to ask, but the thought temporarily eluded her. Then she snapped to attention as if the thought had hit her like an arrow between the eyes.

Legolas quickly looked over, noticing her instinctive movement.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, slightly concerned.

"No, no, I just remembered what I was going to ask you earlier. I am kind of sheltered to begin with, seeing as how I have been raised solely in Minas Tirith, and aside from archery and swordplay, what else exactly will I be trained to do?"

Legolas chuckled a bit at the sheltered comment, and promptly excused himself.

"I am sorry, that was rather inappropriate. It is just difficult for me to think of Ara- I mean, Elessar raising his daughter to be sheltered. Your father is probably the most unsheltered person I have ever met..." he smiled again to himself, as if remembering something of the past. "But back to your question, I will train you to hunt, defend yourself, and also instruct you a little on basic healing skills. Hopefully, you will pick up your innate elvish abilities to sense things about your surroundings, as well as the elvish techniques of battle," His face seemed to go straight again, and he murmured something to himself in Quenyan Elvish, which Areisan could only partially make out. She understood the root for "hope," but nothing more. Just the same, the prospects of learning all he said both fascinated and excited her.

"My father has surely chosen the perfect guide. This truly sounds fascinating to me, and I am eager to learn," she smiled over at him, showing her pre-gratitude for all she knew would come. He smiled a bit back.

"That is good to hear. I am glad that you desire to learn. That already makes the process simpler,"

Another few minutes passed by before Areisan could think of another topic.

"So, how is it exactly that you know my father?" she paused a bit cautiously as Legolas did not seem to be incredibly eager to answer. "That is, if I may ask?"

Legolas sighed and looked at her. "Do you remember anything of the War of the Ring?" Areisan gave him a look at first, stared forward into the scenery, as they were just now leaving the distant farm areas and truly entering the wild, and then seemed to remember something.

"I believe I heard my parents talking about it before. That war had happened before my birth, had it not?" Legolas nodded. "All I know is that it revolved around the Rings of Power and that the group on the quest involved my father, and a representative of each race, I believe... Oh yes, and I remember Gandalf. Very kind and polite..." she trailed off.

"Well, instead of regaling the entire story to you, I was the representative for the elves. This is not when I first met your father, but how I came to truly know him. It was a long and difficult quest, and it brought all nine of us very close together," Legolas paused, and winced at what he said.

"Is there something wrong?" Areisan questioned, genuinely curious what that reaction could be about.

"Only eight of the nine of us are left. One member passed during the quest. All of us only wish he could have survived to see Gondor as it is today. He would certainly be proud," Legolas smiled sadly, and Areisan figured she would leave the topic alone for another time.


End file.
